James Richard Petters (‘Jim’) passed away of natural causes, on February 15, 2019, in a loving environment, in Viera, FL. His 93 years of a full life began when he was born on July 31, 1925 in Ft. Clark, Texas.
As the son of a Colonel in the Army, he lived in many Army bases across the United States, including Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Ohio, Kentucky, Panama, and New York. He held childhood memories such as watching the prairie dust near his home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and running through the jungle near his home by the Panama Canal.
He graduated from Kenmore Senior High School in Kenmore, New York in 1943. He then entered the Navy V-12 Accelerated College Program and graduated as an Aeronautical Engineer from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2.5 years. Jim then transferred to the Navy Supply Corps School at Harvard Business School. Upon graduation, he was transferred to serve on the Navy Destroyer, USS Strong (DD758) operating in the Atlantic Ocean, during WWII. At the end of the war, the Destroyer sailed into the Charleston Naval Shipyard for decommissioning. It was at this time that he met his wife, Grace (‘Rusty’) Esco. Soon after, Jim and Rusty married on August 14, 1947, and they moved to Buffalo, New York where he began working as a design engineer for Linde Air Products. Later he accepted a position as the Head Ordnance Engineer at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia. Then, in 1954, while on a family vacation to Cocoa Beach, Florida, Jim interviewed and was selected for a position to fulfill his desire of working on missiles. He held various positions in the aerospace industry, including serving as the Chief Engineer on the Polaris-project, a nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile.
He held several leadership roles for the local chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. During this time, he was also very involved in the community; head of the local boy-scout troop in which his sons were members, headed several Christian and spiritual study groups, served many years on the Wuesthoff Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, and built the hospital’s first computer system. He also moonlit for Rusty’s home health care business, Paramedical Specialties, Inc., which was in operation in Rockledge, FL for 25 years. Ultimately, he retired from Aerospace Corporation where he served on the technical staff for Range instrumentation and safety, and the Titan IIIC, Atlas/Agena and Space Shuttle. During this time, Jim also remained enlisted in the Navy Reserve, and ultimately retired with the rank of Commander.
Jim and Rusty enjoyed traveling the world by RV and ships. They most enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren. This included, Jim, at the age of 87, taking his three grand-daughters on an Alaskan cruise. He also appreciated his many years of living on the Indian River, and found that to be his own little piece of paradise.
Jim is preceded in death by his wife, Rusty, for whom he was married to for 64 years; and his son, David Petters. He is survived by his son, Richard Petters; son-in-law and daughter, Randy and Lori (Petters) Hicks; and three grand-children, Savannah, Jennifer, and Caroline Hicks.
Sincere appreciation to the memory care staff at The Brennity of Melbourne, and Vitas Hospice, who treated him with compassion and dignity. Private services will be held to remember Jim’s life that was generously lived.
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